In the proposed 2024–25 financial year budget, Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali proposed an allocation of Tk 778.86 crore for the Ministry of Cultural Affairs on Thursday.
The proposed budget is Tk 80.01 crore more than the proposed budget of Tk 698.85 crore for the last fiscal year 2023-2024, and Tk 14 crore more than the revised budget of the last financial year, which was finalised at Tk 764.16 crore.
In his budget speech, the Finance Minister said the government was working to preserve the non-communal democratic heritage of Bangali culture and the creative development of the national language, literature, art, music, drama, and other fine arts.
Development of indigenous culture and cultural heritage, Liberation War consciousness and research, display and exhibition, publication, identification-excavation-renovation-preservation and display of archaeological specimens, copyright preservation of creative works, commemoration of the Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day on February 21, the Amar Ekushey Boimela 2025 and Ekushey Padak 2025, the historic March 7, and the Pahela Baishakh regular funds are being allocated.
Financial assistance is being provided to cultural activists and cultural institutions every financial year, he said in his budget speech. Through the application of information technology, digital preservation and management of films have been introduced in place of traditional methods, he added.
Several other plans are also incorporated into the proposed budget plan, such as the 'Expansion and completion of unfinished works of National Art Gallery and National Center for Music and Dance'; ‘Archaeological restoration-preservation of the historic Rose Garden and establishment of the Dhaka Metropolitan Museum’; ‘Construction and renovation of other physical infrastructure including museum building of Bangladesh Folk and Crafts Foundation’; 'Construction of multi-storied building of Directorate of Public Libraries' project; ‘President Md Abdul Hamid Shilpakala Academy and Regional Cultural Center Construction Project’ in Mithamin, Kishoreganj; ‘Construction of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Library and Research Center’ project; ‘Bangla Academy Library Modernization: Internal Infrastructure Development, Automation & Digitization’; and "Construction of office cum Multi-functional Building (1st Revised) at Rangamati Cultural Institute of Minorities”.
However, several cultural organisations, including Sammalita Sangskritik Jote and others, have expressed dissatisfaction over the allocation of the budget, citing the lack of long-term plans to improve several important aspects of the cultural sector of the country.